Cessna 421 accident near Racine, Wisconsin, June 15, 1982
On June 15, 1982 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N421CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Racine, Wisconsin (Horlick-Racine airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1982 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Racine, Wisconsin · Horlick-Racine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N421CB · registry record · serial 4210100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE ENROUTE. A COUPLED ILS APPROACH WAS FLOWN WITHOUT PROBLEMS, BUT THE PLT STATED HE HAD TO WORK HARD. THE FLT BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 1,000 FT MSL & AT THIS TIME HE ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. HE ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY AT 2 MI WITH MODERATE RAIN. AT ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM THE RWY THE ACFT DROPPED & LOST AIRSPEED. THE PLT RELAXED UP ELEVATOR PRESSURE & ADDED POWER. THE ACFT STRUCK SMALL BRANCHES AT THE TOPSOF TREES & THE PLT CONTINUED THE VISUAL PORTION OF THE APPROACH. THE ACFT THEN LANDED HARD & THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THERE IS A TERRAIN DROP-OFF NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RWY 4.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,554 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 329 in the last 90 days; 2,364 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,651 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYY Gary IN at 11:37 am
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 5,805 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:30 pm from MKE, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.